Karmelo Anthony seeks new trial after 35-year sentence in killing of Austin Metcalf

Defense attorneys say prosecutors coerced Anthony, 19, into waiving his right to testify, and cite additional reasons

Karmelo Anthony’s legal team is seeking a new trial and the recusal of a state judge a month after a Texas jury convicted the 19-year-old of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf, 17, at a track meet in 2025.

In a Tuesday motion, Anthony’s defense attorneys argued that their client’s conviction should be overturned because prosecutors coerced him into waiving his right to testify, among other reasons.